Britain travels the world to shout about how 'GREAT' it is

Britain’s biggest international tourism campaign will launch on Monday with a New York subway train coated in Union Jack colours.

Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt has launched VisitBritain’s GREAT campaign which hopes to attract an extra 4.6 million extra visitors to the UK over the next four years, bringing an additional spend of £2.3 billion.

It comes as figures show 30.6 million overseas visitors came to the UK in 2011, a three per cent rise in overseas arrivals from 2010.

Visitors spent a record £17.8 billion while here, which VisitBritain reports is up five per cent on 2010 and an increase of two per cent on the previous record.

There has also been an improvement in business travel on the previous year with arrivals up six per cent.

Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport Jeremy Hunt said: "We are taking the fight for the tourist pound right to our competitors' doorsteps, with a sales assault on the 14 biggest and most lucrative tourism markets around the world.

"Right across the world, there will be no escape from the message that Britain is great."

VisitBritain's chief executive, Sandie Dawe said:"The more overseas visitors we can entice to visit Britain as a result of this campaign the more jobs the industry can sustain right across the country."

VisitBritain also announced a global partnership with Yahoo to drive more visits to VisitBritain’s online campaign.

UPCOMING EVENTS

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The recent insolvency of Low Cost Travel Group, one of the large players in the travel industry had a big impact on the travelers, hotels and all related players from both wholesale & retail arms. There were about 27,000 people on a holiday who had booked through the company comprised of a €200 million wholesale arm and €500 million OTA / retail arm.